Margarine and other oleaginous spreads have a fat content which may be as high as 83%. A number of lower fat spreads have been made available. Low fat spreads having 40% fat or less are available; however, it is unusual to have a low fat spread with less than 30% fat content.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,292,333 entitled, "Low Fat, Butter-Flavored Liquid Spread and Process" discloses an oil-in-water emulsion having less than 30% of a dispersed fat, a continuous aqueous phase containing an emulsion stabilizer, and an emulsifier system comprising a lipophilic emulsifier and a hydrophilic emulsifier. This patent teaches that water-soluble emulsion stabilizers are essential. It moreover teaches that suitable stabilizers include microcrystalline cellulose, carrageenan, guar gum, alginate, and xanthan gum.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,292,333 also teaches the use of a dual emulsifier composition having a lipophilic emulsifier and a hydrophilic emulsifier. The emulsifiers can be fatty acid glycerides.
European Patent Application No. 90202415 (900911)teaches a spread having less than 30% fat and at least 70% aqueous phase. The spread includes a mixture of monoglycerides and polyglycerol esters, microcrystalline cellulose as a gelling agent, and from 15-28% fat phase.
"Low Fat Margarine," submitted by FMC Corporation, and published in, "Research Disclosure", in April of 1992 disclosed the following formulation for a low fat margarine:
______________________________________ w/w ______________________________________ Fat Phase: Ordinary sunflower oil (Beoco Ltd) 18.650 Hardened soya oil (Beoco Ltd) 11.600 Palm oil (Beoco Ltd) 9.200 Emulsifier - Dimodan CP monoglyceride 0.500 Flavor - butter flavoring 58.T.333 0.050 (Edlong Co.) Aqueous Phase: Water 58.169 Stabilizer - Avicel .RTM. RC-591 cellulose gel 0.800 Salt (British Salt Ltd) 0.500 Potassium sorbate (Dinova Chemicals) 0.200 Xanthan - Keltrol RD (Kelco International) 0.080 Lactic acid - 80% (Dinoval Chemicals) 0.025 Color - Beta carotene (5% suspension) 0.006 (Roche Products Ltd) ______________________________________
Reducing the fat content of a spread from 80% to no more than 28% is not a simple matter. With no more than 28% fat, the spread is primarily composed of water. To maintain the spread as a water-in-oil emulsion is not particularly easy under these circumstances. Moreover, having removed so much of the fat, a great deal of thought and effort must be given to mimicking the functional and organoleptic properties of the fat that has been replaced.
There are numerous properties which must be addressed and manipulated in order to achieve a product having satisfactory functional and organoleptic properties. The low fat spread must offer the same quality and taste as the full-fat system. In addition, mimicking the characteristics of a full-fat system requires control over viscosity (thickness, smoothness), and absorption/adsorption (physiological effect on tastebuds), cohesiveness, waxiness and mouth coating ability.